Mandevilla plant named ‘Alegnuflora709’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Alegnuflor709’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounding plant habit; strong stems; early and freely flowering habit; and bright red-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ALEGNUFLOR709’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘ALEGNUFLOR702’ Applicant: Graham NoelBrown Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,177

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘ALEGNUFLOR704’ Applicant: Graham NoelBrown Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,163

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘ALEGNUFLOR711’ Applicant: Graham NoelBrown Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,168

Title: Mandevilla Plant Named ‘ALEGNUFLOR714’ Applicant: Graham NoelBrown Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,176

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Alegnuflor709’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia.The objective of the breeding program is to create new shrub-typeMandevilla plants with strong stems and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia in December, 2003,of a proprietary selection of Mandevilla hybrida identified as codenumber X02.5, not patented, as the female, or seed parent withMandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,539, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Macquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australiain January, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings inMacquarie Fields, New South Wales, Australia, since January, 2008, hasshown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in cultural practices and environment such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Alegnuflor709’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Alegnuflor709’ as a new and distinctMandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Strong stems.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Bright red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than and not as        vining as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla flower earlier than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the maleparent, ‘Sunmandecrim’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ from plantsof ‘Sunmandecrim’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than and not as        vining as plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunmandecrim’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Sunmandecrim’ have crimson        red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevillahybrida ‘Alegnuflor702’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser.No. 12/931,177; Mandevilla hybrida ‘Alegnuflor704’, disclosed in U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,163; Mandevilla hybrida‘Alegnuflor711’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.12/931,168; and Mandevilla hybrida ‘Alegnuflor714’, disclosed in U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/931,176. Plants of the newMandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Alegnuflor702’,‘Alegnuflor704’, ‘Alegnuflor711’, ‘Alegnuflor714’ in flower bud andflower color.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevillahybrida ‘Sunparavel’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,407. Plants ofthe new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunparavel’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are more compact than plants of        ‘Sunparavel’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller leaves and flowers        than plants of ‘Sunparavel’.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunparavel’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘Sunparavel’ have dark red        purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant. The photograph comprisesa side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Alegnuflor709’grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 12.5-cm containers during the springand summer in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Cobbitty, New SouthWales, Australia and under commercial production cultural practices.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C.to 38° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 21° C. Plants were14 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida ‘Alegnuflor709’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla            hybrida identified as code number X02.5, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.— Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunmandecrim’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,539.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About one month.        -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounding plant            habit, slightly wining; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Moderate            branching habit with about four primary lateral branches per            plant; primary laterals with secondary laterals; pinching            enhances lateral branch development. Length: About 26 cm.            Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 5 cm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 6.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;            venation, close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 146A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper            surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in loose            terminal and axillary clusters; flowers face upright or            outwardly; freely flowering habit, about six flowers and            flower buds per cluster.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants initiate flower buds about            six weeks after planting; plants flower continuously            year-round in the greenhouse and outdoors from spring to            early winter in New South Wales, Australia.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three to four days;            flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Funnelform with five-parted fused            corolla; flowers roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About 9 cm.            Depth (length): About 9 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.8 cm.            Tube length: About 6.5 cm. Tube diameter, at the base: About            4 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 9 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 cm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 60C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five            petals, imbricate and fused into a flared trumpet. Petal            lobe length: About 4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 3 cm. Petal            lobe shape: Roughly elliptical. Petal apex: Acute. Petal            margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal lobe,            when opening, upper surface: Close to 34A. Petal lobe, when            opening, lower surface: Close to 58B. Petal lobe, fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 53B. Petal lobe, fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 57A. Throat: Close to 52A.            Tube: Close to 145A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower fused in a            single whorl. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner surface:            Close to 145C. Color, outer surface: Close to 145B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.            Aspect: About 45° from the stem axis. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong, flexible.            Aspect: About 20° to 35° from the peduncle axis. Color:            Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close            to 158C. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size: About 8            mm by 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen amount:            Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.7 cm. Stigma            shape: Rounded; five-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 145A.            Style length: About 2.2 cm. Style color: Close to 145C.            Ovary color: Close to 146C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 38° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named‘Alegnuflor709’ as illustrated and described.